Sharks!
L
By Chris Sudell
et’s face it—sharks have a terrible reputation. Their
large mouths lined with multiple rows of razor
sharp teeth make them natural villains for movies
designed to frighten thrill-seeking viewers (think
Jaws, Sharknado, Shark Night, and many others). And the terms
“card shark” and “loan shark” do nothing to improve their
image. Sharks can indeed be dangerous, but attacks on humans
are much less frequent than their fierce reputation would lead
one to believe, averaging about five per year in South Carolina.
Fortunately, most of these consist only of quick accidental nips
at people’s feet or ankles.
In spite of their notoriety, sharks deserve our thanks for
their important work in maintaining the ecosystem. Their role
is so crucial that scientists consider them a “keystone” species
without which the ecosystem will not stay in balance. Sharks
perform this vital task in many ways. As predators at the top of
the food chain, they help to prevent the spread of disease and
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